Paul to Agrippa "I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains." (Acts 26:29)
Is that part of the heart of the Christian church? Have we surrendered so fully to what God is doing in our spirits that we can proclaim, "I want you to have what I have? I pray that God would do for your soul what I have let him do in mine."
In context Paul wasn't hoping people would mimic his personal characteristics, he was proclaiming a desire that all listening would know Jesus and let Him change their worlds like He did Paul's. What Paul "was" was a believer.
Requirements before I can say what Paul said:
1. I must be fully repentant for who I have been and what I have done. I've got to cross through the fire of conviction and repentance before I can wade in the waters of freedom.
2. I have to let grace do its job. In other words If I confess and repent I must not demand to continue to punish myself for what I have been forgiven of. Paul had regrets, but he moved on.
3. I have to be willing to engage in what God has for me. I can't long for God to bring you to where I am if where I am is on the couch of spiritual stagnation. I would never wish that someone else would know mediocrity.
4. I must embrace the ever growing and changing nature of the spiritual journey. There is never to be a time when I stop growing and learning of God.
5. I must be honest about what is negative. "I don't want you to have to deal with ______, but I want you to know Jesus."
6. I need to surrender to what He has called me to - even if it is chains. And when the chains happen (whatever form they take) I am to remain focused on what is eternal.
7. I need to let God make me what He longs for me to be. Now I am angry - He will make me compassionate. Now I am feeble - He will build up my spirit. Now I am faithless - He will move mountains through me. Before I can say what Paul said I need to let God be who God is.
The reason that's important is because He wants us to be able to say what Paul said!
My Sample:
Today I struggle with a cold and I hunger to be in the center of God's will. I pray that you would all know what God is doing in me... except for the cold.
What would happen if we all had prayers like that?
Your Sample:
"Lord I pray that _____ would know the freedom that you are taking me to, but protect them from the scars I have."
I dreaming about what could happen to our church/city if...
Servant,
Pastor Dave
Is that part of the heart of the Christian church? Have we surrendered so fully to what God is doing in our spirits that we can proclaim, "I want you to have what I have? I pray that God would do for your soul what I have let him do in mine."
In context Paul wasn't hoping people would mimic his personal characteristics, he was proclaiming a desire that all listening would know Jesus and let Him change their worlds like He did Paul's. What Paul "was" was a believer.
Requirements before I can say what Paul said:
1. I must be fully repentant for who I have been and what I have done. I've got to cross through the fire of conviction and repentance before I can wade in the waters of freedom.
2. I have to let grace do its job. In other words If I confess and repent I must not demand to continue to punish myself for what I have been forgiven of. Paul had regrets, but he moved on.
3. I have to be willing to engage in what God has for me. I can't long for God to bring you to where I am if where I am is on the couch of spiritual stagnation. I would never wish that someone else would know mediocrity.
4. I must embrace the ever growing and changing nature of the spiritual journey. There is never to be a time when I stop growing and learning of God.
5. I must be honest about what is negative. "I don't want you to have to deal with ______, but I want you to know Jesus."
6. I need to surrender to what He has called me to - even if it is chains. And when the chains happen (whatever form they take) I am to remain focused on what is eternal.
7. I need to let God make me what He longs for me to be. Now I am angry - He will make me compassionate. Now I am feeble - He will build up my spirit. Now I am faithless - He will move mountains through me. Before I can say what Paul said I need to let God be who God is.
The reason that's important is because He wants us to be able to say what Paul said!
My Sample:
Today I struggle with a cold and I hunger to be in the center of God's will. I pray that you would all know what God is doing in me... except for the cold.
What would happen if we all had prayers like that?
Your Sample:
"Lord I pray that _____ would know the freedom that you are taking me to, but protect them from the scars I have."
I dreaming about what could happen to our church/city if...
Servant,
Pastor Dave
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